Justice doesn’t end with a conviction at all,” said Pamela Das, the mother of the late Aziki Ake AJ Owens, describing the sentencing of her daughter’s killer. “25 years It’s like they put an expiration date on her accountability whereas my daughter’s life is she’s gone forever”.
This raw pursuit of accountability and legacy is precisely why the powerful Netflix documentary, The Perfect Neighbor, was created, as discussed by Ms. Das and activist Teima Robinson on the Native Land MiniPod. The film details the senseless murder of AJ Owens, a single mother and sole provider. Ms. Das initially watched the unedited version of the footage from a “grieving standpoint” but soon realized how critically important the story was to be told.
She felt compelled to share it with the world to serve as a voice for Aziki, fulfilling her daughter’s earlier assertion that the world would know her name. The decision to share involved careful consideration of its effect on her four grandchildren and the wider community, all in service of revealing the harsh realities of what people of color experience on a daily basis, including biases and racial epithets.
The ultimate goal of The Perfect Neighbor is to serve as a blueprint for societal change and reform, moving beyond just recounting a devastating tragedy. The creators hope the film acts as a lens for viewers to understand what happens when guns are placed in the wrong hands, particularly those of a racist individual. Ms. Das and Ms. Robinson, whose family was instrumental in the film’s production, are leveraging AJ’s story to resurface critical dialogues around public policy, specifically challenging the “horror” of the Stand Your Ground law that is prominent in the film.
The documentary uses raw police body camera footage to expose the systemic failure that allowed the neighbor, Susan Lorence, to harass and terrorize the community for years, noting that Lorence was “the danger in plain sight” yet no alarms went off. By showing whiteness, entitlement, and racism without opinion, the creators hope the film brings about change, encourages the reexamination of this harmful policy, and promotes collective action to make real changes in the world.
They are also honoring AJ’s memory through the Standing in the Gap Fund, a vehicle co-founded by Ms. Das and Ms. Robinson to help other families impacted by hate violence. Click here to watch full interview.
